Test tube rack



April 11, 1961 E. B. PATTERSON TEST TUBE RACK Filed April 19, 1960INVENTORQ EDWARD B. PATTERSON ATTORNEY TEST TUBE RACK Edward B.Patterson, Philadelphia, Pa, assignor to Arthur H. Thomas Company,Philadelphia, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 19, 1960,Ser. No. 23,278

Claims. (Cl. 21174) This invention relates to laboratory equipment, andmore particularly to a test tube rack.

In a large laboratory, there is always the ever present problem inhaving on hand the correct size of test tube rack. A test tube rack thathas its openings too large will not properly hold small test tubes.Conversely, if the test tube rack has openings too small, it will notaccommodate large size test tubes. Thus, there is a need for a universaltest tube rack which can support a wide variety of test tubes.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel test tube rack.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel test tube rackwhich will accommodate a wide variety of test tubes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a test tube rackwhich is easily adjustable so as to accommodate various sized testtubes.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a test tuberack which is simple, easily adjustable and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in thedrawing a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementsand instrumentalities shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the test tube rack of this invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a partial plan view of the test tube rack in Figure 1 in oneof its adjusted positions.

Figure 4 is a partial plan View of the test tube rack of Figure 1 inanother of its adjusted positions.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate likeelements, there is shown in Figure 1 a perspective view of a test tuberack 10.

The test tube rack 10 comprises a S-shaped body 12 and a C-shaped slide14.

The S-shaped body 12 comprises top wall 16, de pending wall 18, middlewall 20, depending wall 22, and bottom wall 24. The walls 16 through 24are structurally inter-related in the manner as shown in Figure 1 so asto form the S-shaped body 12. As seen more clearly in Figure l, the body12 is made from a single sheet of material and the walls 16 through 24are formed by bending the sheet of material forming the S-shaped body12. As shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2, the top wall 16 isprovided with a depending flange 26 on each side thereof. The dependingflanges 26 areprovided with inturned tabs 28. The tabs 28 are spacedfrom and parallel to the top wall 16. Thus, the flanges 26 and the tabs28 cooperate with the top wall 16 to form a track on the inner surfaceof the top wall 16. As shown more clearly in Figure 1, the flanges 26and tabs 28 are smaller in length than the length of top wall 16.

The middle wall 20 of the S-shaped body 12 is prowall 211 for a distanceless than the length of middle wall 20. The track on the inner surfaceof the top wall 16 is parallel to and spaced from the track on the upperI surface of the middle wall 20.

The C-shaped slide 14 comprises a top wall 34, a bottom wall 36, and anend wall 38 which connects the top and bottom walls 34 and 36. The topwall 34 and the bottom wall 36 are parallel to one another and are ot awidth slightly less than the width of top wall 16 and middle wall 20 ofthe S-shaped body 12. The top wall 34 of the slide 14 reciprocates inthe track on the inner surface of top wall 16. The bottom wall 36 of theC-shaped slide 14 reciprocates in the track on the upper surface of themiddle wall 20.

The top wall 16, the middle wall 20, the top wall 34, and the bottomwall 36 are each provided with a plurality of multi-sided holes whichcan be aligned by adjustment of the slide 14 relative to the body 12.Since each of the multi-sided holes in the top wall 16 and the middlewall 20 of the S-shaped body 12 are identical, only one hole need bedescribed in detail.

As shown more clearly in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the top wall 16 of theS-shaped body 12 is provided with a multisided hole having the shape ofa pentagon. The multisided hole in the top wall 16 comprises a holedefined by edge 40, parallel side edges 42 and 44, and converging edges46 and 48.. The side edges 42 and 44 are perpendicular to the, adjacentedge 40. The converging edges 46 and 48 on each of the multi-sided holesin the top wall 16 and the middle wall 20 extend inthe same direction.

The top wall 34 and the bottom wall 36 of the C- shaped slide 14 areprovided with a plurality of multisided holes which can be aligned withthe multi-sided holes in the top wall 16 and the middle wall 20 byreciprocation of the C-shaped slide 14 relative to the S- shaped body12. As shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4, the walls 34 and 36 of theC-shaped slide are provided with a multi-sided hole which is identicalwith the shape of the multi-sided hole in the top wall 16 and the middlewall 20. The multi-sided hole in the top wall 34 is defined by edge 50,parallel side edges 52 and 54, and converging edges 56 and 58. The sideedges 52 and 54 are perpendicular to the adjacent edge 50. Theconverging edges 56 and 58 extend in a direction away from end wall 38on the C-shaped slide 14. Thus, it will be seen that the convergingwalls of the multisided holes in the C-shaped slide extend in adirection opposite to the direction of the converging edges on themulti-sided holes on the S-shaped body 12. Thus, in one adjustedposition of the test tube rack, the multi-sided holes on the C-shapedslide 14 cooperate with the multisided holes on the S-shaped body 12 todefine an opening 60. As shown in Figure 3, the opening 60 is in theshape of a hexagon. The opening 60 can support a test tube having anouter diameter smaller than the distance between parallel edges 52 and54. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the adjustment of the C-shapedslide 14 relative to the S-s-haped body 12 can result in an opening 62which is smaller than the opening 60. The opening 62 is in the shape ofa square. The opening 62, as shown in Figure 4, is defined by the edges46, 48, 56 and 58. Opening 62 will accommodate a test tube having anouter diameter which is smaller than the distance across edges 46 and56.

The test tube rack of the present invention is operated in the followingmanner:

The C-shaped slide *14 is adjusted relative to the S- shaped body 12 bymovement of the end wall 38 in the direction of the arrow 66 inFigure 1. The C-shaped slide 14 reciprocates in the tracks on the topwall 16 and the middle wall 20 to vary the size of the opening definedby multi-sided holes on the top wall 16 and the middle wall 20 which arejuxtaposed to multi-sided holes in the top wall 34 and the bottom wall36. As shown in Figure 1, the test tube 64 extends through the openingdefined by the multi-sided holes on the S-shaped body 12 and theC-shaped slide 14. The bottom of the test tube rests on the bottom wall24 of the S-shaped body 12. As end wall 38 is moved further away fromdepending wall 18, the size of the opening defined by the multi-sidedholes decreases so that smaller diameter test tubes may be accommodatedon the test tube rack 10.

The C-shaped slide 14 and the S-shaped body 12 are preferably made fromlight weight, sheet metal or plastic. While the multi-sided holes havebeen shown as being in the shape of a pentagon, it is contemplated thatother shaped holes may be substituted therefor.

The C-shaped slide 14 is capable of being reciprocated with the use ofonly one hand. Thus, an operator may adjust the position of the C-shapedslide 14 while holding a test tube in his other hand above themulti-sided holes so as to be able to quickly and accurately ascertainthe desired position of the C-shaped slide 14. If desired, indicia maybe provided on the upper surface of the top wall 34 which will indicatethe size of test tubes which may be accommodated in any of the extendedpositions of the C-shaped slide 14.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference shouldbe made to the appended claims, rather thanto the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A test tube rack comprising an S-shaped body, a multi-sided hole inthe top and middle walls of said body, said holes being axially aligned,an adjustable slide having top and bottom spaced walls disposed betweensaid top and middle walls on said body, an axially aligned multi-sidedhole in each of the spaced walls of said slide selectively positionablein alignment with the multi-sided hole in the top and middle walls ofsaid body whereby movement of said slide varies the opening through saidholes so that various sized tubular elements may be accommodated on saidbody.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said multi-sided holes insaid top and middle walls of said body include five sides, two of saidsides being parallel to each other and perpendicular to an adjacentside, the remaining two sides converging to a point, the multisidedholes in said slide being of substantially the same configuration as theholes in said top and middle walls, the converging sides on the holes insaid slide being directed in a direction opposite to the direction ofthe converging sides on the holes in said top and middle walls of saidbody.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1 including a track on theundersurface of said top wall and said slide top wall being reciprocallydisposed in said track.

4. In a device as set forth in claim 3 including a second track on saidmiddle wall, said slide bottom wall being reciprocally disposed in saidsecond track, said tracks being flanges integral with the top and middlewalls and positioned in horizontal parallel planes.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said walls of theS-shaped body and slide are each provided with a plurality ofmulti-sided holes so that a plurality of tubular elements may beaccommodated on said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,287,731 Franks June 23, 1942 2,360,978 Putter Oct. 24, 1944 FOREIGNPATENTS 136,106 Germany Feb. 2, 1902 833,867 Germany Mar. 13, 1952

